Eating foods that are low in fat--the best choices are vegetables, whole grains and fruits--makes for an overall healthy diet that can help you reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and reduce your sugar intake--because high fat foods often are also high in sugar. Because fat has more than twice the number of calories, by weight, as carbohydrates or proteins, you can also reduce your calorie intake by trimming fat from your diet.
Background
Fats are found mostly in plants, fish and meats, and they are crucial parts of your body. They are a major part of all cell membranes, and they allow for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. You should not try to cut all fat from your diet, but you can reduce the unhealthy fat. Saturated fats--found in red meats, whole milk, full-fat cheeses and ice creams--may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by raising your cholesterol. Trans fats have the same effect on your body. They are liquid oils heated, or hydrogenated, into a substance used to make crackers and cookies, margarines and other spreads.
Guidelines
Government guidelines say that 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories should come from fats, with most coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, including fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Fewer than 10 percent should come from saturated fats--with consumption of trans fats kept as low as possible.
Types
Many people make low-fat selections as part of their regular eating habits. Others follow more formal eating plans, or low-fat diets. Some low-fat diets are also high in carbohydrates--the Ornish Diet, the Pritikin Program and the McDougall Program. They basically are low in fat, high in fiber and mostly vegetarian. Some low-fat diets come in the form of liquid meal replacements--the Cambridge Diet, Herbalife and SlimFast.
Considerations
Because fat adds flavor to food, following a low-fat diet may mean your food tastes bland. You can counteract this by experimenting with herbs and spices. Beware that "low fat" does not always mean "low calorie." Some food manufacturers replace fat with sugar, so what appears to be a healthy choice may not be. Get in the habit of reading nutrition labels.
Foods
Vegetables and fruits are good low-fat choices. But eating a healthy, low-fat diet means eating from all six food groups, so you also must also include grains, milk, meat and beans and fats and oils. To get your healthy fats--the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated kind--eat nuts, seeds, avocados and olives. But keep track of your portion size, because it is easy to overeat and ingest more calories than you intended. When choosing meats, go for lean cuts, and remember to remove skin from poultry before you eat it. For dairy products, seek low-fat or no-fat varieties of milks, yogurts and cottage cheeses.
References
- "Nutrition for Life, The No-Fad, No-Nonsense Approach to Eating Well and Reaching Your Healthy Weight"; Lisa Hark, RD, and Dr. Darwin Deen; 2005
- USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
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